Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-02-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9th, Is,

WASHINGTON, Feb. 9th, 1887.
The session is slipping rapidly tC
| its close and Congress is trying te
make the best use of its brief life by
dispensing as much as possible with
business of a private character
Among the important matters thai
have had attention during the past
week may be mentioned the
Tehuanteyec Ship Railway bill, the
Rivers and Harbors bill and the
Snndry Civil, the Anti-P olygamy
bill, and half dozed measures ap
propriating millions of dollars fol
ships of war aud coast defenses.
The long cherished project of Cap
Eads passed the Senate by a de
cided majority. By the provisions
of the bill Mr.. Eads and his associ
ates are Incorporated as the Allan
tic and Pacific Railway Company
with capital stock not to exceed
100000 no bonds to be issued
until the pald-in capital shall amount
to $5,O00,O00. The Government is
in nowise committed to the PROPOSE
ton pecuniarily, and makes nc
guarantees.
The first Mexican pension was
made by Commissioner Black on
last Friday, aud the beneficiary was
ex-senator Williams, of Kentucky
Ever since the battle OF Cerro
Gordo where he greatly distinguish
ed himself, he has been known as
sCerro Gordo Willlams.n The
application for the allowance was
filed in the Commissioners office al
eleven O'Clock that morning, and the
pension certificate went ont in the
afternoons mail for Louisville.
The clamor for a chance of inaug-
uration day from the 4th of March
to the Both of April grows louder as
the working days of the present
Congress have become alarmingly
few, and the danger more apparent
that nothing may be done towards
the desirable reform. The trouble is
that if the proposed amendment
does not get through Congress by
the end of this session, it cannot be
ratified by the States in time to GO
into effect as a part of the Federal
Constitution in the Spring of 1889.
There is no opposition to the change,
but, on the contrary every body
acknowledges that it would be 0just
lovely" to have the inaugural cere.
monies at the most delightful time
of the year. If the Republican
Senate is willing to extend Presi.
dent Cleveland's term by eight
weeks, no one can see why the
Democratic House should not be
more so.
The recent broadside which Sena.
tor Hoar aimed at his associates
who were derellct about being
present at the Chaplain's opening
prayer has had the effect Of increas.
ing the number of Senators in the
Chamber at that hour. Ten used to
be the average attendance but now
1t is nearly thirty. The Massachu
sets Senator has been congratula.
ting himself over his success, and
has received warm commentator
from Chaplain Butler who, of course,
deeply felt the disrespect shown to
the morning devotions by this
unprayerful body.
Out of the whole Senate full there
are only seven gentlemen who are
always at prayer and show noticea.
bic fervor. These are Senators
Plumb, Blair, Hoar, Mcmillan Teller,
Brown, and Gen. Hawley. The
others present seem wondering all
the time how long the prayer is
gong to last. While the Chaplain
had the floor Senator Evarts strokes
his chin and watches the clock /;
Senator Malone twitches nervously
and looks over his papers ON the
desk Senator Vest buttons and
unbuttons his coat; another is
twirling the ring on his finger or
winding his watch, caressing his
moustache or hunting for something
in his pocket, and Senator Cali is
accused of irving to make his hair
stand out stylishly from his ears.
But Senator Hoar stands beside
his desk with head bent, eyes closed,
and hands clasped. He does not
change his attitude until the Chap
lain has descended from the presi.
dents desk. Senator Plumb usual.
ly leans his elbow on his desk dur
ing prayer, his face resting On his
hand. He sometimes converses
with the Chaplain afterwards on the
subject of the prayer, which indi
Gates that he must be piously atten-
tive. Senator Brown of Georgia,
seems to be deeply religious man,
and he seems to repeat the words
after the Chaplain, at least his lips
move constantly.
Gen. Hawley's religious devotion
is equally pronounced. The mo-
ment the prayer begins he stands
up, and bends his head low over his
folded arms. Sometimes he re-
mains in this position for several
moments afterwards apparently in
deep meditation. Imagine a score
of Senators smoking in the Hobbies
and as many more drinking cold tea
in the restaurant beneath, and the
prayer scene in the United States is
complete.
A. I'll A. NJ.